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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk fumed as the Reds' main weakness was exploited again in their win over Wolves. The club's record summer signing Florian Wirtz finally opened his account in the Premier League on Saturday after 17 matches as the reigning English champions edged out relegation-threatened Wolves 2-1 at Anfield to collect crucial three points in their final game of 2025.

The controversial manner in which South Africa lost to the Pharaohs might have sparked a new fierce rivalry between the two teams. The growing grudge between the two teams could be akin to that between Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly, who have often crossed paths in the CAF Champions League in recent seasons. That simmering tension has left South Africa's vice-captain keen on another showdown with Hossam Hassan's men.

Chelsea captain Reece James has revealed who is to blame for Saturday's collapse to Aston Villa, a result that saw the Blues drop out of the the Premier League's top four. The west London side dominated proceedings in the opening 45 minutes and were duly rewarded for their perseverance shortly before the break after James' corner was inadvertently flicked in by Joao Pedro.

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has thanked Paris Saint-Germain and president Nasser Al-Khelaifi for their role in helping Achraf Hakimi return to fitness, as the Atlas Lions captain nears a return for his national side at AFCON after the best part of two months on the sidelines. Hakimi is expected to feature in hosts Morocco's final group game against Zambia on Monday, and Regragui praised 'gentleman' Al-Khelaifi for allowing Hakimi to join up with his national side early to aid his recovery.

While the Masandawana faithful have been enjoying a breather, with the Africa Cup of Nations taking centre stage and little to worry about regarding their team, the Buccaneers have headed into the Premier Soccer League break in high spirits. And they will be looking to pick up exactly where they left off and maintain their momentum when league action resumes.

Manchester United youngster Ayden Heaven has taken a major step toward defining his international future after deciding against a switch to Ghana, despite World Cup eligibility. The 19-year-old defender is instead focused on representing England at the senior level, a stance that reflects his growing confidence after an impressive run of performances at Old Trafford.

Ian Wright has warned that Arsenal need to start taking their chances of else they run the risk of being leapfrogged by title rivals Manchester City and Aston Villa. The Gunners edged to a 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday afternoon to return to the top of the Premier League table having briefly dropped to second following City's 2-1 victory at Nottingham Forest in the lunchtime kick-off.

Manchester United have reportedly "not stopped discussing" the possibility of signing Brighton star Carlos Baleba despite failing to recruit him earlier this year. The Red Devils spent around £230 million ($310m) on players during the summer transfer window but they balked at the thought of forking out more than £100m ($135m) for Baleba. However, they have not given up on trying to secure his services heading into 2026.

Vinicius Junior’s Real Madrid future is under fresh scrutiny after stalled contract talks left the Brazilian weighing his options, with Saudi Arabia circling. Al-Ittihad sporting director Ramon Planes has now made a bold prediction, insisting it is realistic that elite players like Vinicius could move to the Middle East during their prime years.

Marcus Rashford has passed a Barcelona referendum as members voted in favour of signing the England forward permanently. Rashford move to the reigning La Liga champions on loan from Manchester United over the summer having been outcast by head coach Ruben Amorim. And the 28-year-old has made an impressive impact for the Blaugrana, who may be prepared to extend his stay in Spain.

Although the Mzansi football supporters are currently preoccupied by Bafana Bafana's AFCON campaign, back in their minds they wish their clubs will be successful this season. Given what the PSL landscape looks like at the moment, there is a possible neck-to-neck battle for the PSL title between Bucs and Downs. The big question is whether the Soweto giants can finally end Masandawana's dominance after failing to do so in recent seasons.

Cole Palmer's new girlfriend watched the Chelsea star at Stamford Bridge in their 2-1 loss to Aston Villa. Olivia Holder was at the Blues' home ground on Saturday, in a game where the England international was hooked for the final 20 minutes. This comes days after their incognito date at Winter Wonderland but the Christmas cheer was thin on the ground in west London after this defeat.

Chelsea have launched an internal probe and agreed to cooperate fully with the Premier League after Aston Villa complained that a bottle was thrown towards their bench, with reports suggesting that the projectile was launched from behind the Chelsea dugout. The flashpoint followed the Villains’ dramatic 2-1 comeback win, with CCTV footage now being reviewed to identify the culprit.

Jarrod Bowen thought his wife, Dani Dyer, was 'joking' when she told the West Ham captain she was going to appear on Celebrity SAS, it has been revealed. Dyer signed up for the show having been forced to pull out of Strictly Come Dancing after breaking her ankle during rehearsals back in September and admitted that she agreed to take part to prove herself.

Christian Eriksen has backed striker Harry Kane to one day return to Tottenham. Kane left Spurs for Bayern Munich in 2023 and has become a revelation with the Bundesliga giants, earning his first piece of silverware of his career last season. And the Danish creator, who spent six-and-a-half years in north London, is hoping to see the England captain back in a Spurs shirt.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes it was right to allow Rayan Cherki's Manchester City goal to stand despite Sean Dyche's protestations that Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White was fouled in the build-up. The France international scored a late winner in a 2-1 victory at City Ground but Forest boss Dyche felt his side were robbed of a point - something Rooney disagrees with.

Manchester City’s hopes of landing Antoine Semenyo in January may have taken a hit after Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola made his position crystal clear. With speculation intensifying around a release clause and elite interest growing, the Cherries head coach has stressed his desire to keep the in-form Ghanaian forward for as long as possible.

Months after clashing in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, Bafana and the Warriors are set to face off in another crucial duel. Each need points and should win their last AFCON group match when they will meet on Monday. This game is made even more spicy because the nations are neighbours and rivals in the regional competition, COSAFA, but this time around they clash on a bigger platform and in a game that carries a lot of continental stakes.

In a thrilling encounter between Egypt and South Africa on Friday, drama unfolded as several decisions by the officials drew scrutiny, with one in particular standing out—a penalty that secured the Pharaohs’ 1-0 victory and left the Belgian coach feeling aggrieved.

David Moyes says Jack Grealish missed Everton's goalless draw with Burnley due to illness, days after the Manchester City loanee partied with ex-team-mate Kyle Walker in London. The two England internationals were spotted for a pre-Christmas bonanza last weekend, and while Grealish was absent for the trip to Turf Moor, 35-year-old Walker still featured and didn't seem worse for wear.

John Terry has moved quickly to shut down speculation linking him with a surprise return to frontline management after reports claimed the Chelsea legend was being lined up for the Oxford United job. The former Blues captain has now spoken out publicly, distancing himself from the Championship strugglers and clarifying his current priorities.

Diogo Jota's widow Rute Cardoso has issued an emotional statement after their children got to act as mascots for Liverpool's Premier League clash against Wolves. The footballing world was left reeling in early July when news emerged that Jota and his brother Andre Silva had died in a car crash. Months on from that tragic incident, both his former clubs led tributes to the 28-year-old on Saturday at Anfield.

The Bafana coach has stressed that the young defender is already ripe to test himself in a well-established and developed competition like the leagues in Europe. The experienced tactician was not particularly impressed when the defender completed a move to Major League Soccer just before the AFCON finals began. Giving an example of how Mbokazi played against the Pharaohs, the Belgian insisted his defender needs better competition.

Maya Jama got a taste of a Manchester City away day as she watched boyfriend Ruben Dias take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Love Island presenter cheered on the Portugal international from the away section of City Ground as Pep Guardiola's men secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory in the Premier League. The 31-year-old clearly enjoyed her day out, describing it as a "whole different experience".

Pep Guardiola has offered a candid and comical glimpse into life with Rayan Cherki at Manchester City, admitting the Frenchman can leave him torn between frustration and affection. After a decisive display against Nottingham Forest, the City boss joked there are moments he wants to shout at Cherki and others where he wants to "kiss him" as the youngster continues to shine.

The South African side will be on high alert as they look to fix the lapses that cost them in their last outing, turning their attention to the Warriors on Monday—a side that has repeatedly shown they are tough to break down and never shied away from testing Bafana's resolve in past encounters.

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants to put aside his long-running rivalry with Lionel Messi and play out his career with him at Inter Miami. The two sporting icons are among the greatest footballers to ever play the game but they have often been pitted against one another this century. But as the 40-year-old contemplates life after Al-Nassr, speculation is mounting that he may want to be Messi's team-mate in Major League Soccer in one last hurrah.

Robert Lewandowski has revealed a startling behind-the-scenes moment at Barcelona, admitting the club asked him not to score late in a La Liga season as part of a cost-cutting effort. The Poland striker confirmed the request was linked to a bonus clause and said the unusual situation "stuck in my head," underlining the scale of Barcelona’s financial pressures.

Former Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen believes some of Ruben Amorim's public comments about the club's dire state "didn't help at all". The Denmark international spent three years at Old Trafford before leaving for Wolfsburg over the summer, and now he is reflecting on his stint with the Red Devils. While the 33-year-old has many fond memories there, he wasn't all that complimentary about Amorim.